Ikari — Roleplayer Guild

The morning sun threw Tirian’s mind to the wind as his azure eyes opened with haze covering them. His heart raced for a moment, expecting to be in some devilish world but to the soldier’s comfort, this was the very same place he had fallen unconscious the previous night. With a quick motion Tirian hopped off the ground and stretched his worn and weary body to full extensions, further deciding to warm with a quick session of squats. The cool morning air against the sweat beads upon the red-heads skin caused some ecstasy for him. The feeling of pushing his body and the feeling the pain caused by effort had always been intoxicating for the soldier. It wasn’t long before a voice surprised him, and then asked for a favor. Tirian smiled at Aaerynn, before answering simply.

“Sure what do you need?”

-Aaerynn felt herself ease as Tirian immediately accepted. Thus far, everyone seemed to break her expectations. It made herself feel silly for thinking the worse of others. Vordan had been kind to her, and Tirian too. Serna as well had been gentle with her, although it was to be expected from the Syndarean girl. It was nice. "I was wondering if you were familiar with Quel'Dalanosh?"

In a softer voice, so no one else could eavesdrop, she proceeded to say, "I don't know if the Thialea elves are different or not. But I'd really like to go through the forms as a warm up."-

Tirian nodded quickly to Aaerynn as he quickly understood where this conversation was about to go.

"Indeed I am. The only difference is the slight shuffle near the end of the dance. Instead it's more of a three-step twirl rather than two step slide."

-Aaerynn nodded before planting a hand on her hip, looking a bit hopeful. "Would you mind doing it with me? You can take any stance to defend. I just need an eye to help fine tune it, I haven't done it in a while."-

Tirian smiled warmly to the elf, appreciating the courage it required for someone of her nature to open up to anyone.

"I would be honored. Though be warned it has been sometime. So, shall we?"

-Aaerynn nodded and lead the way to some space a bit away from the campfire, so they wouldn't be in the way of the group packing up for the start of the trip. The wood elf stretched her arms a bit, getting her muscles warm for the session. She looked over at Tirian as she did so and finally spoke. "Hey, I never got to thank you for the other day. Although, without me, you'd still be stuck in that barrier huh?"

Her voice held a teasing tone, but her eyes showed just how thankful she was. If it hadn't been for Tirian cauterizing her wound, she would have probably bled out before Setna even reached them with Vordan's bandages. The wood elf gave another stretch, hearing the subtle crack and pop of her bones and tendons. Then she brandished her daggers. Part of the reason why she wanted to practice was for getting used to using a dagger in her non-dominant hand. She had done it before, a century ago, but now she was deeply out of practice. In sparring Quel'Dalanosh, weapons were only to be used as extra extension for the arms, they were never meant to harm the sparring partner, so Aaerynn shifted the blades to the unsharpened edges.

Her light eyes shone a bit as she took the initial stance. "Can you keep up with me Red? I like to go fast."-

Tirian followed the wood elf only a slight distance away from the camp fire, stretching his muscles as he walked. His body was warmed and loose enough for the mystical sparring dance known only to the elves native to the trees. Tirian learned much of the dance with his time in Thialea with his mother, yet he was not a natural in the art. Aaerynn quickly thanked the warrior for his deeds the previous days, and then hit him with a teasing comment. The soldier smiled for a moment allowing the realization to set in that Aaerynn was changing right in front of him. The sight was certainly a beautiful one.

“If you weren’t so slow I might have gotten out faster. Maybe you’ll be faster with this spar?”

Tirian led his words with a teasing tone just as Aaerynn had done with her comment. The soldier quickly brandished his blade, spinning the cold steel around his finger before quickly gripping the hilt and lowering his center of gravity.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

There were 48 forms to the Quel'Dalanosh, and Aaerynn wasted no time in performing the first one. The technique was meant to exercise and use elvish flexibility and agility. It showed. She was fast, even faster than the Durandal warrior in some aspects, although he quickly caught up to her with defense. The forms themselves were beautiful, but their beauty only hid their dangerous and potent capability. Each strike could be damaging and even with her blades turned, it could provide deep bruising if Tirian was unable to defend himself.

Both the twins found themselves awestruck by the match. They sat together, absentmindedly eating breakfast as they watch Aaerynn move and Tirian try to defend. Each step was deliberately placed, every movement was calculated. The wood elf's body could move and bend in ways that Setna didn't think was possible. Then it was all over, with Aaerynn's dagger still against the blade of Durandal’s prince.

The wood elf was sweating and breathing hard, but her eyes were alight with energy. Her lips were twinged into a subtle smile, proud of herself for completing the rounds. She finally backed off of Tirian and sheathed her daggers, her chest still heaving as she tried to catch her breath. She held her hand out for Tirian to shake. "Not bad Red. Guess you could keep up after all."

Aaerynn moved quickly, as expected of a surefooted elf. Tirian managed to keep up with his trained eyes watching each step forward and back. The daggers whirled furiously even though the steps were calculated and calm. Tirian ducked a serious of swipes bringing his blade up to meet cold steel as he entered his own offensive. The constant clash of metal sent sparks bursting off into many directions. One step forward, then three to the left and finally one backwards with calculated slices of his own. Aaerynn was much quicker than he, though he could overpower her at any moment with the right stances. However Quel’Dalanosh was not about winning or losing. It was about the heat of battle and the joy of sparring with someone that you trusted. As the battle ended Tirian let out a heavy breath and then smiled warmly towards his partner.

“Not bad, but you need to get some more stamina.”

Tirian took Aaerynn’s hand and shook it firmly, taking notice of the smoothness of her palms with the callused fingertips from shooting her trust bow. Tirian discarded the branch and began to walk back towards camp, just as Lucille appeared from the shadows and approached Aaerynn with and underhanded comment.

“Odd. I thought loving humans was forbidden in elfish culture.

-Aaerynn's face was smooth with an underlying happiness. She felt good. Her body was warm, her muscles ached in the right places and she felt stretched and loose. For once the rot seemed to slink into the background. She could ignore its ache with a clear mind and a fond memory to last night's conversation with Vordan and now of a good spar in the old art form her brother had taught her. For once things seemed to be changing for the better, bit by bit.

The wood elf had been pulling back her hair from her sweaty forehead when she felt the sudden presence of the pink haired girl. The girl's comment however, made the wood elf freeze up completely. She felt her heart drop as she looked over to the girl with wide eyes before her eyebrows furrowed in anger. "Excuse me?”

Rot oozed its way back into her system as Aaerynn looked to the girl, her body tensed. Her mind raced at the possibility that she had heard her talk with Vordan the night before. However, back then she had prepared herself to be mocked by him. She had opened up with guarded vulnerability to Vordan's opinion. She had been prepared. But, this....This sudden backhanded comment from a stranger not only took her by surprise, but stung.-

Lucille held her smug smile, shrugging off the inquisition and simply turning away from the elf. It was not the right time to engage this foe. To get to her target she would need to break alliances and distance each individual. This was the start to it all. The start to her ultimate goal. For now, she would sit in the shadows and be one with the darkness, waiting.

-Aaerynn felt her skin break out into a cold sweat as her rot began to sizzle. What the hell had that been? What the hell did that little girl know?

The wood elf watched the girl walk away a bit warily before she finally returned to the camp as well, and began to pack her things.-

Tirian watched the little exchange between Lucille and Aaerynn, then took in the aftermath of whatever few words had been distributed. The soldier approached Aaerynn with a sullen expression as he spoke with an easy and somewhat tensed tone.

“Whatever she said just ignore it.”

Tirian placed a gentle hand onto the woman’s shoulder for a brief moment before turning back and tended to his things.

- Aaerynn paused and looked a Tirian. She gave the man a nod, but there was no way she could just ignore it. Not after she said what she did.

The twins had seen the interaction as well, and Serna decided to approach, while Setna turned to watch the pink haired girl for a moment. What was with her, exactly?

The Syndarean girl approached Tirian and Aaerynn, trying to clean up the tense air with a gentle smile. "Th-that was r-really pretty!" She exclaimed mostly to Aaerynn and the wood elf looked up at her for a moment before nodding, slightly grateful. The pain had become a bit overbearing and the wood elf kept her jaw locked to distract herself from it.

The young woman could tell the wood elf would rather be left alone, so instead she looked up at Tirian. "W-Would you like to t-train this morning too, b-before we go?"-

Tirian sighed to himself, watching the elf walk away. Just like that the change he had seen was crushed by a few simple words. Azure eyes snapped to where Lucille had disappeared to, she would surely get a talking to before this day was over. Serna snapped the warrior out of his daze with kind words. Tirian thought for a moment and then nodded.

“Get Setna too. Everyone will get a warm up today.”

- Serna blinked before smiling brightly, "Ok!"

She quickly scurried over to her brother and then returned with her twin at her side, who looked slightly confused. But they both looked up at Tirian for some sort of explanation.-

Tirian took the twins off to the side in a tiny clearing, taking off his cloak and sheathed weapon to grant his body more clearance for the upcoming engagement he would had.

“Setna, I understand your training with Elrithos but I can teach some things too. Are you versed in hand to hand combat at all?”

= The twins followed behind the redhead and Setna immediately faltered as he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "No, not really. I mean, I know how to punch and dodge and everything...but I was never exclusively trained in close combat."

His uneasiness returned and Setna tried to swallow it down. He would apply what Elrithos taught him, not to hesitate and to think. Serna bit her lip slightly in concern.-

Tirian wasted no time returning words of his own to the uneasy boy.

“Don’t worry. Open fisted strikes. Just keep up and follow what I say. Serna.”

Tirian turned to the female twin with a smile.

“I will be getting opening for shots and it’s your job to do your best to protect Setna. Got it?”

-Serna straightened up in sudden fear and with a feeling of importance. She only seemed to relax when Setna placed his hand on her shoulder. "Relax Serie, just have my back OK?"

The girl looked at her twin and nodded. She wouldn't let her brother down, that was for sure. Setna continued forward and undid his cloak and sheath for his sword. He stretched a bit before trying to take up a stance. Although he obviously felt awkward. Exactly how were you supposed to stand without a weapon? He took the general athletic stance, but it felt strange without something to protect himself with. "How exactly are we going to do this?"-

“Are you right handed or left handed.”

-"Uh, right." Setna responded, and held up his fist.-

Tirian nodded and quickly began twisting the boy’s arms and legs to an orthodox boxing stance.

“You’re left foot should always forward, pointing just about straight ahead. You’re right foot should be backwards and pointing just a bit to the right side. Keep your body in the same angle as your right foot to protect yourself, and generate torquing power when punching. Stay on the balls of your feet to stay mobile. Now hold up your hands, palms open and facing me.”

-"Right." The boy followed easily into the position Tirian put him in. It felt a lot better than his unorthodoxed athletic stance. He opened up his palms as he faced Tirian. He wasn't going to lie, facing the red head even in a spar was a bit intimidating. Sure Elrithos was a mighty warrior, but Tirian had proved himself to be completely brutal and unmerciful. His whole body looked as if it was bred and trained to kill people. The boy swallowed down his fear, focusing. Besides, his sister liked the red head, and she always saw the good in everyone.

Serna smiled as the two conversed but slowly she set into her own stance. Although she was incredibly nervous. She hadn't actually used her magic within battle yet....except for that bad dream, but that had obviously been a dream...so she had no gauge as to whether she was up for the task of protecting Setna or not. But she was sure as hell going to do her best.-

“I am just going to show you how to throw a simple jab. Then a cross. After that we can string those together for simple combinations. When you’re ready I can teach you more power punches but for now just watch my form.”

“Tirian got into his own stance, inverted of Setna’s as Tirian was ambidextrous and preferred to switch his fighting style up. Tirian quickly jabbed out his right hand striking the Syndareans open palm. Tirian waited a moment before jabbing once more then twisting his left hand out into the same palm. His strikes were fast and precise, his defense left no openings for simple punches. Tirian eased his body into a normal posture after a moment of waiting.

“Any questions?”

-Setna just blinked, slightly amazed and slightly wondering if he could even come close to doing the same thing. He shook his hand out for a moment before bringing it back up and finally responded."Uh...no."

What was there to ask? He just had to do it.-

Talking was over and now Tirian got into the flow of battle. Setna followed with clumsy movements and slow punches. Tirian bobbed and weaved slowly, throwing slow punches that his opponent easily dodged in opposite directions. As Setna grew more proficient with his stance, Tirian increased the pace and the angles of his punches. Setna did his best to keep up but there were points in which his guard had been open and Tirian struck hard into the iridescent barrier set by Serna. Setna felt his confidence surge with the protection of Serna, as the twins began moving in a unison motion. Tirian felt himself pushed from an offensive into defensive as his body began to twist around every punch from the Syndarean boy. Setna overstepped a punch and Tirian took the shot instinctively with speed the Serna could not keep up with. Setna threw up his guard as the soldier’s right hook slammed into his block perfectly. Everything stopped suddenly as Tirian stood up with a bit of concern in his eyes.

“Are you okay Setna?”

- Setna slowly opened his eyes, and revealed a surprised expression. "I blocked it!...Oh, shit."

He waved his arm around a bit, feeling the beginning of a bruise on his arm, but he was beaming. He had done it instinctively, and sure Tirian wasn't trying too hard with him, but the fact that he blocked a shot without Serna's help, raised his confidence a bit. Serna came running over though, looking horror-stricken and guilty. "I-I'm so s-sorry! It w-was so fast I d-didn't have time!"

Setna just lit up in laughter and placed a hand on her head, mussing up her hair. "Calm down Serie! It's not like you're supposed to protect me all the time, besides you did really awesome!"

Serna went from guilty to beaming in pleasure, just like her brother. She looked up at Tirian with the same expression. "I was able t-to do it, w-wasn't I?"-

Tirian felt the guilt drop as both twins saw pleasure in the success. The red-head simply let out a small chuckle as a smile crossed his face.

“You both did perfect. I’m impressed. Sorry for the hard hit there. Just keep moving it and make sure the muscle doesn't lock up.”

Tirian turned to Serna with a small, bringing his thumb up to the dark-haired girl’s nose and poking it gently before leaving her with a few words of care.

“Take it easy for the rest of the day. Make sure you don’t over work your body.”

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